Inputs Verifier Tool (IVT) Sandbox Testing

October 27, 2014

Overview • Summary of Recent Final Rule • Summary of Inputs Verifier Tool • Summary of the Inputs Verifier Tool Sandbox • Setting Up Your Account • Setting Up Your Facility • Example: Subpart S • Entering Data into the Inputs Verifier Tool • Saving an Inputs File • Uploading an Inputs File • Viewing the Inputs Verification Summary • Submitting using the Sandbox

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Summary of Recent Final Rule • EPA finalized "Revisions to Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements, and Proposed

Confidentiality Determinations under the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program“ [79 FR 63750] on September 26, 2014.

• These amendments are the result of an evaluation of the inputs to emission equations for which the reporting deadline was deferred until March 31, 2015 (hereinafter referred to as “inputs to equations” data elements.) Where the Agency identified disclosure concerns, the EPA finalized the following amendments to reporting and recordkeeping requirements and an alternative electronic verification approach.

– Added a requirement that reporters using “inputs to equations” data elements to calculate reported GHGs under certain subparts must use an EPA-provided electronic Inputs Verifier Tool (IVT).

• Certain subpart C reporters have the choice to either use IVT or report their inputs to equations to the EPA.

• If subpart C reporters choose to report their subpart C inputs to equations to EPA, must waive their right to a confidentiality claim.

– Added approximately 20 new data reporting elements to facilitate verification. – Enhanced the recordkeeping requirements by changing the format for maintaining records

of “inputs to equations” data elements and lengthening the record retention period from three to five years for all subparts that apply to the reporters required to use the IVT.

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Summary of the Inputs Verifier Tool

• The Inputs Verifier Tool (IVT) will be deployed within the GHGRP’s electronic greenhouse gas reporting tool (e-GGRT) and will be used as part of the annual reporting process.

• Reporters will enter the inputs to emission equations for which reporting is no longer required under the amendments into IVT.

• IVT will use these entered data to calculate the equation results and to conduct electronic verification checks on the entered inputs to emission equations.

• IVT will generate a verification summary that informs the EPA about the verification results without specifying the entered inputs to emission equations.

• IVT will not retain the entered inputs to emission equations.

• IVT will generate a file listing the inputs to equations entered into IVT, which must be maintained as a record for 5 years.

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About the Inputs Verifier Tool Sandbox • EPA is providing an opportunity to test and provide feedback on the Inputs

Verifier Tool (IVT) via an open testing period, or “sandbox.” • EPA encourages all stakeholders to preview and familiarize themselves with

the new tool before the open reporting period begins, typically in mid-February.

• Sandbox will remain open well beyond the three week feedback deadline to allow facilities to further prepare for the open reporting season.

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About the Inputs Verifier Tool Sandbox (continued) • Scope of sandbox: Sandbox addresses only IVT. The following additional RY14 features are

not part of the sandbox: • Reporting of subpart C inputs to equations (if option to report is chosen). • Reporting the subset of inputs to equations that have not been removed from the

reporting requirements for RY 2010-2014. • Providing feedback to the EPA on sandbox:

• Please use the form provided on: http://www.epa.gov/ghgreporting/contactus.html. • Entering data into the sandbox: This testing environment (sandbox) is for demonstration

purposes only. Please be mindful of the information that you enter into the sandbox. When the sandbox period is over, you will no longer have access to any information that you entered. In addition, information entered into this sandbox (with the exception of equation inputs data, which is NOT saved by the software) could be subject to disclosure pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act. As a result, only hypothetical data should be entered into this sandbox.

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Setting Up Your Account You must create a new account specific to the IVT Sandbox - you cannot use

an existing e-GGRT account. 1. Go to http://sandbox.ccdsupport.com/ghg-ry2014/login.do 2. Click the REQUEST IVT SANDBOX button.

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Setting Up Your Account (continued)

3. Fill in all of the information on the page, then click the SUBMIT button.

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Setting Up Your Account (continued)

4. The IVT sandbox will generate a user ID, password, and a hypothetical facility. The user ID and password will be sent to you in an e-mail message from eGGRT@ccdsupport.com.

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Setting Up Your Account (continued) 5. To log in, go to http://sandbox.ccdsupport.com/ghg-ry2014/login.do

In the IVT Sandbox LOGIN box, enter the user ID and password that were sent to you via e-mail. Enter the user ID in the User Name field and the password in the Password field, then click the Sandbox LOGIN button.

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Setting Up Your Account (continued)

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6. The HOME tab will be displayed, listing the test facility assigned to your account by the IVT Sandbox. Click the DATA REPORTING tab to enter data for this facility.

Setting Up Your Facility 1. After clicking the DATA REPORTING tab, the Select Facility page will be displayed.

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Note: In the IVT Sandbox, data entry is limited to your assigned test facility and to reporting year 2014. On the Select Facility page, the REPORTING YEAR

dropdown list will contain only “2014”.

Setting Up Your Facility (continued)

2. Click the OPEN button to the right of your assigned facility.

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Setting Up Your Facility (continued)

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3. To add a Subpart to your facility, click ADD or REMOVE Subparts.

Setting Up Your Facility (continued)

4. On the Subpart Selection page, select the checkbox next the subparts you would like to test, then click SAVE.

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Note: As of October, 27, you will be able to select Subparts C, G, H, K, N, P, Q, S, U, X, Z, AA, BB, CC, EE, and GG. On November 17, you will also be able to select Subparts E, F, O, R, V, and Y.

Using IVT – Subpart S Example

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In this example, we have selected Subpart S (Lime Production).

1. On the Facility Overview page, click OPEN for Subpart S.

Note: Initially, e-GGRT will indicate that “No inputs verifier file exists”. Once we enter equation inputs, we will demonstrate how to save and reload an inputs file.

Using IVT – Subpart S Example (continued) 2. Prior to entering data, you must indicate if you are using the CEMs or Non-CEMs methodology.

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Note: Only the facilities that do not use the CEMs methodology must enter inputs into IVT.

Using IVT – Subpart S Example (continued)

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3. On the Subpart S Overview page, you must enter you Lime Products, Calcined-Lime By-Products, and/or Wastes before you can complete the inputs page.

Note: If you do not enter products, by-products or waste, e-GGRT will remind you to enter this pre-requisite data before you can open IVT.

Using IVT – Subpart S Example (continued)

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4. Most pages addressing reporting requirements other than inputs have not changed significantly.

Using IVT – Subpart S Example (continued) 5. After entering the products and by-products, click the OPEN button for Subpart S Summary Information.

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Using IVT – Subpart S Example (continued) 6. On the page where you would have entered emission information in past years, you now click GO to access IVT.

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Using IVT – Subpart S Example (continued) 7a: IVT pages lead the user through entry of inputs. In this case, inputs are required for each month for each product and by-product.

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Note: IVT appear with a grey IVT header and IVT imputs cells are outlined in blue

Using IVT – Subpart S Example (continued) 7b: Enter inputs for the second product.

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Using IVT – Subpart S Example (continued)

7c: Enter by-product inputs and click SAVE.

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Using IVT – Subpart S Example (continued) 8: Review your calculation results

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Note: If you disagree with the calculated value you can override and enter your own value

Saving an Inputs File

After entering data into the Inputs Verifier Tool, you will have to save your inputs file to your computer or other location. On each subsequent log in, you will be prompted to temporarily upload your inputs file. The e-GGRT system will not save data entered into the Inputs Verifier Tool. Users are responsible for saving their inputs files.

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The Inputs Verifier File Status Box shows whether you have saved your inputs file. Before entering inputs, the status reads “No inputs verifier file exists”. After data entry, the status updates to “Inputs Data Not Saved.”

Saving an Inputs File (continued)

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1. You can find the Inputs File Status Box near the top of most screens under the grey panel. To save the inputs verifier file, click SAVE INPUTS LOCALLY.

Saving an Inputs File (continued) 2. Proceed to save the inputs file to a location of your choosing. Note that all browsers work a little differently so your screen may look different than the snapshot below.

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The inputs verifier file is a zip file containing an XML file and an HTML file. These two files have identical data, but the HTML file is easier to read

Saving an Inputs File (continued) 3. After saving, the status will update to Inputs Data Loaded and display the date and time the file was saved and the user who saved the file.

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Note: e-GGRT will not have a record of where you decide to save your file. Your browser may default to a temporary storage area or a downloads folder. Please take note of your save location or move the saved file to a recordkeeping folder.

Uploading an Inputs File

To load an inputs data file that has been previously saved (as would occur if you logged off and came back to e-GGRT in a later session), follow these steps:

1. Log in to IVT sandbox and go to the Data Reporting section. 2. Select TEMPORARILY LOAD INPUTS DATA.

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Uploading an Inputs File (continued)

3. Select BROWSE and navigate to the inputs data file saved to your local computer.

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Uploading an Inputs File (continued)

4. Click the OPEN button to select the most recent inputs verifier tool file

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Uploading an Inputs File (continued)

5. Click the LOAD button to load the file to the inputs verifier tool.

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When you click the GO button to enter IVT, the inputs you just loaded will display in the proper fields in the inputs verifier screens. You can modify inputs to equations data elements and continue entering them.

Uploading an Inputs File (continued)

If you select an inputs file that is not the most recently saved version you will get an error message when you click the Load button.

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If you are unable to find your inputs file you may have to reset your facility and re-enter your inputs. To avoid this outcome we urge users to consistently save their data to a known location on the local machine.

Verification Checks Conducted by IVT

IVT conducts the following verification checks on data entered into IVT: – Screen Error - an input is missing, or an input is

entered that does not match the field requirements (i.e., a whole number is entered in a field that should be a fraction). Screen errors must be corrected before you can advance to the next page.

– Range Check (data quality) - an input value is outside of the expected range estimated by the EPA.

– Algorithm (data quality) - two or more values are compared to each other, and the result is not what would be expected by the EPA.

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Viewing the Inputs Verification Summary (continued)

The Inputs Verification Tool presents the results of these verification checks on the Inputs Verification Summary. To view the Inputs Verification Summary, Click the Subpart Overview link at the top of the screen. On the Subpart Overview page, click VIEW VALIDATION.

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Or, if all data entered has satisfied the defined verification checks, this section will have a green checkmark and the label “No Validation Messages”.

The Validation Report page will display. It has two sections: “Validation Messages for Annual Report Data” and “Verification Summary Generated by Inputs Verifier”.

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Viewing the Inputs Verification Summary (continued)

Viewing the Inputs Verification Summary (continued)

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In each section, the Message text is linked to the related field. To view and correct the data, click on the text for the associated message. The data entry page containing the field will be displayed. In the example shown, clicking the Message for ID IVT-S004 will cause the Equation S-1 page within IVT to be displayed.

Submitting using the Sandbox

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The sandbox will allow you to generate and preview your submission materials, but will not allow you to actually submit data.

1. To review these features, start by clicking the GENERATE/SUBMIT button on the facility overview page.

Submitting using the Sandbox (continued)

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2. Click GENERATE REPORT AND FINAL VERIFICAITON SUMMARY to begin.

Submitting using the Sandbox (continued)

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3. After the report generates, click CONTINUE WITH REPORT SUBMISSION.

Submitting using the Sandbox (continued)

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Remember: The rule states that the inputs to equations that were entered into IVT must be kept as a record.

4. Review your annual report, verification summary, and download records from this page. Click VERIFICATION REVIEW to continue.

Submitting using the Sandbox (continued)

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5. Prior to certification you will see a listing of all IVT error messages associated with your submission. If you click “Optional Comment to EPA” you can enter any explanatory text.

Help Desk Contact Information Email: sandbox@ccdsupport.com Web: http://www.epa.gov/ghgreporting/contactus.html Telephone: 1-877-444-1188 (toll free)

1-703-676-4400 (outside U.S.)

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As a reminder, please do not submit sensitive or business confidential information to the helpline.